مجلة الرسالة للدراسات والبحوث الإنسانية
Volume 11, Numéro 1, Pages 318-328
2026-03-28
The Epipaleolithic-neolithic Transition In North Africa: A Stratigraphic And Cultural Synthesis Of Columnata Site (tiaret, Algeria)
Authors : Bellahreche Hocine . Rabhi Merouane .
Abstract
The archaeological site of Columnata, located in the Tiaret Wilaya of Algeria, is a key reference for understanding the Epipaleolithic-Neolithic transition in North Africa. Classified as a historical monument since 1952, this prehistoric deposit features a complex occupation spanning over 7,000 years. This paper examines historical data from the excavations of Cadenat and Brahimi, integrated with recent chronological reassessments. The stratigraphic sequence documents a cultural succession from the Iberomaurusian to the Neolithic, including the "Columnatian" and Upper Capsian industries. Columnata also served as a major necropolis. It yielded the remains of 116 individuals of the Mechta-Afalou type, giving essential insights into funerary practices and the gracilization process of local populations. Despite post-depositional disturbances, radiocarbon dating confirms the sequence's validity. This study highlights the site's archaeological and anthropological importance. It also advocates for urgent conservation and valorization measures to protect this record of human history.
Keywords
Columnata ; Epipaleolithic ; Iberomaurusian, ; Neolithic, ; , Funerary practices ; Algeria.
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